If you’re a fellow wine blogger, I’ve got a ‘challenge’ for you ;) If you’re a wine blog reader, I have some entertainment coming your way, lol!
Just humor me and read through this introduction:
I keep up with quite a few food blogs in addition to wine blogs. One that I particularly enjoy is called Eat Live & Run by Jenna Weber. I just read in one of her recent posts that she is entering the FoodBuzz hosted, 12-week “Project Food Blog” contest that begins tomorrow!
Being the type of person who loves a new challenge or project, I thought, “Man, I wish I were more of a food blogger so that I could participate in this contest.” … I went on with my weekend, but the thought just would not leave my mind. I even went so far as to consider starting a food blog just to sign up! I mean, I LOVE/LIVE to cook, but Vinously Speaking is my baby! I love writing this blog and I love filling each post with something about wine, whether it is a great wine experience or crazy wine adventure. I need wine to be the heart of my blog, because that is what I am passionate about.
All that ‘self-righteous wine blog talk’ got me nowhere though … the thought of competing in the “Project Food Blog” never went away … it wasn’t until Sunday evening, somewhere in between an intense Jillian Michael’s workout when the thought dawned on me … DO THE “PROJECT FOOD BLOG” BUT CHANGE THE CHALLENGES TO BE WINE RELATED!!
Sure I would not be in the running for the grand prize of $10,000 … but I would still satisfy my urge to do all these awesome challenges that thousands of food bloggers will be setting out to do … only I get to do them about wine!!! So here is my idea.
I am going to take the 10 Challenges posed to the contestants of the FoodBuzz “Project Food Blog” and alter them to be a bit more … vinous ;) and then I will complete them at the same time as the food bloggers have to complete their challenges.
Maybe I am the only crazy wine blogger out there who thinks this is an AWESOME idea … but if there are wine bloggers out there who wanna have some fun … leave me a blog comment or message me on my Facebook or Twitter to let me know if you want to join me! This is just for fun, but I’m thinking if enough of us wine bloggers do this, we can really make some vinous waves! ;P
Just to keep this challenge as close to the original one as possible, I am thinking the titles/hashtags should be similar. (If enough of you want to join me, we can think about making a FB Fan Page!) UPDATE! I created a Project Wine Blog Fan Page, so you can post the link your challenge posts or read what other wine bloggers are posting!
Original Version: “Project Food Blog” (#pfb2010) Wine Blogger Version: “Project Wine Blog” (#pwb2010 #pwb #projectwineblog)
So? Are there any crazy wine bloggers out there who want to join me?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HERE ARE THE “PROJECT WINE BLOG” CHALLENGES The original “Project Food Blog” challenges are in italic font.
** Post any time in the week provided next to each challenge**
Challenge #1: Ready, Set, Wine Blog! (Week of Sept 20th) Make a post telling your readers/fellow wine bloggers about “Project Wine Blog” and why you are participating. Tell them to join us too! Feel free to link them back to this post for full details! (don’t forget to mention the original challenge – FoodBuzz’s “Project Food Blog” as well ;)
Food Blog Challenge #1: Ready, Set, Blog! Thousands of food bloggers plead their case for a chance to advance. Who has what it takes to be #1?
Challenge #2: It’s all Foreign To Me! (Week of Sept 27th) Any wine blogger ‘worth their weight in wine’ can talk up a storm about their ‘favorite’ wine region… but can you go outside your comfort zone and tackle a foreign wine region? – Pick the wine region you know the least about and write a post on it – be creative and have fun with it!
Food Blog Challenge #2:The Classics Any food blogger worth their salt can make a classic dish sing, but can they go outside their comfort zone and tackle a foreign cuisine?
Challenge #3: Wine Tasting & Appetizer Pairing Party (Week of Oct 4th) Real or imaginary – host a themed “Wine Tasting & Appetizer Pairing” party for guests. Pick a theme, 6 wines, a pairing appetizer for each wine, and then tell us why you went with those ideas. P.S. Don’t worry about naming specific producers/vineyards for the wines, unless you want to ;)
Food Blog Challenge #3: Luxury Dinner Party Contestants channeled the new and exotic to host a luxurious dinner party for guests. Which feast would you RSVP to?
Challenge #4: Picture Perfect (Week of Oct 11th) Photos of a wine bottle, a vineyard, or a wine cellar … they have stories behind them! Take a moment and dig through the ‘Pictures’ folder in your computer. Pick some of your favorite wine related photos and post a ‘photo journey’ for your wine blog readers. Be creative and feel free to tell your readers why those photos mean a lot to you and your wine journey! (No limit here … pick 1 or pick 50, it’s your ‘photo journey’!)
Food Blog Challenge #4: Picture Perfect Step-by-step photo tutorials are easy to follow and mouth watering! Who captures your attention?
Challenge #5: Recipe Remix (Week of Oct 18th) So many variations of one recipe … and one wine pairing! Wine bloggers, choose your favorite pizza recipe (homemade, store-bought, from a resto, doesn’t matter!) and then pair a wine with it and tell us why!
Food Blog Challenge #5: Recipe Remix So many variations of one recipe! See how contestants adapted a pizza recipe to be their own. Which would you make?
Challenge #6: Winery Road Trip! (Week of Oct 25th) Wine bloggers … you’re on the move! Tell us about a winery that is road-trip distance from you! (If you live too far from a winery, than tell us about your favorite winery you have visited!)
Food Blog Challenge #6: Road Trip! The bloggers were tasked to design a meal to go–one that carries well and tastes great. Who would you pick to ride shotgun?
Challenge #7: Wine Video 411 (Week of Nov 8th) Lights. Camera. Drink Wine! Which wine blogger has the best wine videos that leave you unable to resist opening up a bottle of vino? Wine bloggers – pick you favorite wine videos (yours or someone else’s) and put them up in a post … again, the number of videos is irrelevant, this is your video post, have fun with it!
Food Blog Challenge #7: Video 411 Lights. Camera. Cook. Which food blogger has the video skills to make you tune in and turn on (the stove)?
Challenge #8: Piece of Cake (Week of Nov 15th) Wine bloggers, unleash your sweet teeth! In this post talk about your favorite dessert/sweet wine or your favorite ‘dessert and wine pairing’!
Food Blog Challenge #8: Piece of Cake A seasonal ingredient was baked into sweet or savory treats by our contestants. Who has the science of baking down?
Challenge #9: You’re the Wine Blog Critic (Week of Nov 29th) You think you would be asked to ‘critique’ a wine … but wine bloggers do enough of that, so for this post you are going to channel some positive ‘criticism’ ….(and throw in a little networking!) Post a list of your top 5-10 favorite wine bloggers! Let your readers know why you like them and why they might too!
Food Blog Challenge #9: You’re the Critic The bloggers put their best fork forward to relay to readers a well-thought out restaurant experience. Who’s got the chops to hand out Michelin stars?
Challenge #10: The Final Post (Week of Dec 6th) For this post … let’s celebrate!!! Go splurge and buy that ‘nice bottle’ of wine you keep telling yourself you’re gonna buy on that special occasion! Post a photo/video of your celebration and tell us about your experience with “Project Wine Blog”! Maybe a “Project Wine Blog” Celebration Tweet Up is called for?
Food Blog Challenge #10:The Final Post The final 3 pulled what they’ve learned into a final post of choice. Who should be the 2010 Project Food Blog star?
** As a disclaimer – I fully promote the “Project Food Blog” Challenge (and think you should too!) I am not trying to copy this challenge for any other reason than just as a way for me, (and possibly other wine bloggers ;) to join in on the fun! Thank you to FoodBuzz’ “Project Food Blog” creators (and participants!) **
Hope all you Wine Bloggers out there (and readers!) will join me for this “Project Wine Blog” Challenge!
Ceci – I am a huge fan of yours and extremely jealous (living in France and all)…I may try to take you up on this challenge – it will be my first wine blog and wine posts (besides what I do on FB at A to Zinfandel)…I'll have to set up a site, but that can be done in a jiffy!
Hello Kay! Thank you so much for your support! It means a lot to hear you enjoy my blog! :) I am even more excited you will join me in "Project Wine Blog" and that you are going to set up a wine blog! Do let me know the link when you create one so I can follow you! Yay! This is going to be fun!
oh Your wine Project information is so Good
Thank you grandwine! I hope you will enjoy!
Veronique/CECI – don’t know if I gave you my blog’s URL when I wrote you on FB. Ciao bella!
http://atozinfandel.wordpress.com/